The Light in the Sky
I notice the sky whenever I'm outside. Not only the dramatic sunsets or early morning light, but also the way it changes throughout the day. We have dramatic clouds here in Florida, especially during the "wet" season of May through September. When I'm painting a landscape or seascape, I must decide whether to make the sky the primary focus, or just a small section of the composition. I tend to show more of the sky than the land or sea, because it is so full of light.
The gulf coast has intense sunsets. The colors vary from pale pastels, to vivid oranges and yellows. After the sunset, it changes to cool pinks and lavenders. The light after the sun goes down is my favorite, but I only have a short time to paint before it gets dark. Sometimes I use reference photos, but I still have to rely on my memory because the colors in the photos are a little different from what I saw.
